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Syrian state media on Saturday published a list of "legitimate" targets to be attacked in Israel should America and other Western powers launch air strikes against the regime of Bashar Assad.

Among the targets Syria threatened to hit are Israel's nuclear reactor in the Negev town of Dimona, various air force bases and the petrochemical plant in the densely populated port city of Haifa.

In the shadow of such a threat, and with Syria have proved its willingness to use weapons of mass destruction against even its own people, there is much speculation that Israel will be heavily involved in the Syria strike debate scheduled for when Congress reconvenes in Washington next week.

"Israel and the lobby that supports ... will likely be told that at this critical juncture, neutrality is a luxury that [they cannot] afford. Time to put up or shut up, get off the fence and spend some of the precious political capital that Israel supporters have amassed in order to fight in the Washington trenches for something that most Israelis contend is crucial to their national interests."

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